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Modern Paris

Modern Paris is a place where many artists, thinkers and visitors from around the world still find inspiration. After emerging from a great deal of political turmoil in the earlier part of the century, Paris has once again risen to be one of the strongest countries in the EU, as well as one of the most popular tourist destinations around the globe.

After WWII

Miraculously Paris was left intact after the World War II thanks to one man. As the Germans were evacuating Paris Dietrich von Choltiz was ordered to detonate bombs that had been planted around the city. However he refused. Perhaps he was enchanted by the city of light or thought that it seemed silly in the end but thanks to Choltiz the city survived the war unscathed.

However years of neglect from the turmoil of two world wars left the city rundown and its people had been split in two. One side had worked with the Germans during the occupation, the others were the rebels working to over throw them, this rift in ideals can still be felt in Paris’s Politics today.

Socialism in Paris

Once the General who had led the troops into Nazi occupied Paris and reclaimed it Charles de Gaulle led the country into a new Era. While he and other politicians did much to restore Paris to its former Glory his authoritarian government led to several violent student protests and city wider worker strikes in the 1960s that then became iconic. During this time Algeria gained Independence and thousands of French colonists and Algerian immigrants flooded the city.

The 1970s lead to new ideas about the makeup of Paris as a city. As a whole, politicians began to understand that the environment in which Parisians lived in greatly affected their productivity and environmentalism and an effort to clean up the city.

Socialism ideals came into Paris in the 1980s along with François Mitterand. The socialist movement in Paris led to the nationalization of some of Frances banks and industries. Mitterrand is also known for commissioning the famous glass pyramid on the ceiling of the Louvre. After Mitterrand left office the country has gone to a more capitalist perspective and is now becoming and still continues to be a hub for new thinkers.

Today’s Paris

Like many other cities Technologies and globalization have impacted the city. With the internet and other information outlets even easier to access than before, Paris is influence on the world and vice versa have changed the city.

While Parisians are growing more and more aware that their influence on the world is continuing to dwindle, both diplomatically and economically, the spirit and classic attitude of Paris is still preserved in thousands of movies, books and pieces of art and many believe that this

Major Industries of Modern Paris

While Paris is a Mecca for Literature, philosophy, diplomacy, art and other forms of advance thinking it is also has several major industries that keep the city running. High Fashion is one of Paris’s biggest industries and probably some of the most well known outside of tourism. In fact the fashion scene in Paris is famous for influencing many of the styles of the western world. Other Luxury goods manufactured in Paris spur the economy including perfume and fine jewelry. The suburbs nearby also specialize in automobile manufacturing and other textile industries.

Transportation advancements

While it was established at the beginning of the twentieth century the Paris Metros were widely extended and improved in the 1970s and now includes 16 principle lines that now connect the cities different neighborhoods.

In an effort to become more environmentally friendly and health conscious the public transportation is continuing to improve and bicycles are also encouraged around the city.

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Modern Paris